# battle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbætl̩/ · frequency rank #1,214

## Definitions
1. A contest, a struggle.
2. A contest, a struggle.
3. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the divisions of an army are or may be engaged; a combat, an engagement.
4. A division of an army; a battalion.
5. The main body of an army, as distinct from the vanguard and rear; the battalia.
6. Clipping of battle buddy.

## Etymology
From Middle English batel, batell, batelle, batayle, bataylle, borrowed from Old French bataille, from Late Latin battālia, variant of battuālia (“fighting and fencing exercises”) from Latin battuō (“to strike, hit, beat, fight”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from a Gaulish or Proto-Germanic root from Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰ- (“to stab, dig”), related to Old English beado (“battle”); or possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- (“to hit, strike, beat”). Doublet of battalia and battel. Displaced native Old English ġefeoht, beado, camp, and wīg (“battle”), among others.

## Easily confused with
- **Bette** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bette)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-butte)
- **batty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-batty)
- **bottle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bottle)
- **beetle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-beetle)
- **bustle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bustle)
- **Beatle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-beatle)
- **bottles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bottles)
- **battles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-battles)
- **bottled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bottled)
- **brittle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-brittle)
- **battled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-battled)
- **bale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bale-vs-battle)
- **bate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bate-vs-battle)
- **batt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batt-vs-battle)
- **bathe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bathe-vs-battle)
- **batter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batter-vs-battle)
- **batted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batted-vs-battle)
- **babble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/babble-vs-battle)
- **batten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-battle)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abttle`, `batle`, `batlte`, `battel`, `battlle`, `bbattle`, `btatle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/battle